Messi Tour Sparks Outrage: Indian Footballers Decry Crores Spent Amid Local Crisis

• Indian footballers Debjit Majumder and Sandesh Jhingan criticized the crores spent on Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour.
• Majumder highlighted that ₹150 crore spent on Messi could have sustained two Indian leagues and protected many livelihoods.
• The tour, despite public frenzy, drew criticism for exorbitant prices and led to riots and vandalism at Salt Lake Stadium.
• Jhingan stated the tour exposed India's priorities, neglecting the foundational structure and stability of local football.
• Both players emphasized that celebrating global icons shouldn't come at the cost of neglecting and hurting Indian football's long-term commitment.

Why It Matters: Indian footballers question massive spending on Messi's tour while domestic football faces severe financial crisis.